Oso Grande third grader participates in Great Strides Walk

Ladera Ranch resident Alexis Wright, who has cystic fibrosis, will participate in the Great Strides Walk Saturday in Dana Point, with an 80-member team to raise funds for the cause. COURTESY PHOTO

Oso Grande Elementary School third grader Alexis Wright, who has cystic fibrosis, will participate in the Great Strides Walk Saturday in Dana Point, with an 80-member team to raise funds for the cause. The Ladera Ranch girl has made an online walk invitation at http://www.wright.io, where you can also make a donation.

A FINAL FAREWELL

The funeral service for Ladera Ranch mother of three Melissa Skye Downey, who died in her sleep last month, will be held at 2 p.m. on May 4 at Daniels Chapel of the Roses, 1225 Sonoma Ave. in Santa Rosa. So far, friends and family members have raised more than $9,000 for the family through the Melissa Downey Memorial Fund at giveforward.com.

25TH ANNIVERSARY

In May, the Women's Hospital at Saddleback Memorial Medical Center will celebrate 25 years of delivering special miracles, having welcomed more than 60,000 babies since its opening. To commemorate this milestone, the hospital is encouraging local mothers, fathers, grandparents, uncles, aunts and godparents to share their unique experience on mysaddlebackbaby.com. Ladera Ranch resident Kim Jones delivered her daughter Olivia in 1993 and her son Austin in 1998 at Saddleback Hospital. "What an awesome experience," she said. "We arrived home with our daughter two days later feeling relaxed and ready for the new challenge."

On May 19, the hospital will launch a special community event to celebrate the 25th anniversary.Families can reunite their children with the physicians who brought the baby into the world and take a special photo. The event is 12:30-4:30 p.m. at Saddleback Memorial Medical Center, 24451 Health Center Drive in Laguna Hills.

EAGLE SCOUT

Ladera Ranch resident Chandler Hall, 17, of Boy Scout Troop 321 of Mission Viejo has earned the rank of Eagle Scout. His eagle project was to build three wooden planter benches for the middle school campus at Stoneybrooke Christian School in Ladera Ranch. In addition, the members of Troop 321 planted plants, added flowers and performed other smaller projects on campus to assist in the effort to add to the campus environment. Hall is a junior at San Juan Hills High School, a member of the varsity football team and an honor roll student.

SPECIAL PERFORMANCE

A group of 77 students from Tesoro High School Symphony Orchestra performed in the Showcase concert for the New York International Music Festival presented by World Projects in famed Carnegie Hall over spring break. In addition, the orchestra performed an outdoor "pops-style" concert at the Central Park Naumburg Bandshell.

PLAYING COMEDY

Joe Yacoubian of Ladra Ranch is part of the cast in Camino Real Playhouse production "The Best of Bruce," which runs until May 4. The show will feature six of Bruce Alexander's award-winning 10-minute comedic plays from ShowOff International Playwriting Festival. For tickets, call 949-489-8082.

HONORED VOLUNTEERS

Laura's House volunteers Mary Bentley and Jolee Hibbard were honored at the OneOC 2013 Spirit of Volunteerism Awards on April 19 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim. Bentley of Mission Viejo was honored as an outstanding community volunteer. During 10 years of volunteering at Laura's House, she has given her time to help out with the emergency shelter, corporate offices, 24-hour crisis hotline, landscaping, meal preparation and donating food, toys and clothing. Hibbard of Capistrano Beach has volunteered with Laura's House since January 2012. She has worked with the crisis hotline and the emergency shelter.

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